Kelvin White instructor training:What our customers say.

Life as an ADI

We are always very grateful when our customers give up their time and effort to say a few words regarding their training experience with us.

Why I became a Driving Instructor.

Why I became a Driving Instructor. In Feb 2009 I was made redundant when 50% of the workforce of where I worked was axed. I was in the building trade at management level and had enjoyed my career for over 20 years I decided that at 49 I would make a career change. Then I saw the advert from Red driving school “Become a driving instructor” it said outlining all the benefits. That was it I said to myself. But it turned out Red was not for me, and after shopping around neither were some of the national companies and the smaller independents, none of them were able to tick all the boxes. The people I spoke to were just sales persons and what they had to say just did not seem to add up. Then I remembered the guy around the corner from me, who some nights went from having 3 learner cars outside his house to about 7 or 8 filling up the street. I looked him up on the web and was impressed with the web site, as it had all the information that I could have done with from the offset to make an informed decision. I was surprised to see that right on my door step was Kelvin White” Instructor Training” just what I was looking for. I gave him a ring and after a chat called round for an interview. At the interview I was impressed with his set up, and while talking to Kelvin, he started to tick all the boxes, he came across as professional, experienced, confident and knew where he was going with the business, to which he came over as very passionate about. I signed up the next day and picked up my training pack. The part 1 was fun to learn, and the structure of the learning format made it easy for an “old dog to learn new tricks”. Part 2 was fun as driving practices have changed a bit from when I had passed my test some 30 years ago, and I had picked up a few bad habits what with being a company car driver, but Kelvin was tactful and respectful in how he dealt with any issues. I will always remember these qualities for when I come to teach any mature students. Part 3. Well said Kelvin rubbing his hands, this is where we have got to get you over the fence and boy what a fence it was. I was surprised at how much of your driving goes into the back of your head. You know what needs to be done, but how do you explain it. The whole roll playing was strange as well, there you were talking to a highly trained driver as if he was a learner, then I would get some subjects confused with others but with practice it all feel into place and as one of the others instructors explained “ the cloud lifts” and suddenly you understand what you are doing. My first attempt at part three, I had a 4 and a 3, the next attempt nerves got the worse of me, and then we prepared for my final attempt. This was when I knew I had made the right decision to train with Kelvin, with the right amount of practice and he also prepared me mentally in such a way that I was determined to nail it this time and I did, I qualified as an ADI on 17/05/011 and looking forward to starting in mid July after a well earned holiday. I have always had an ambition to be my own boss and work the hours I choose, and now this will become a reality, I am really looking forward to becoming part of the team. The one thing I can be assured of is that with the continued support of Kelvin and not forgetting Sandra in her support roll in the office, I will be in for a long, successful and rewarding career to which my goal is to improve every day.

Pete Warren

Congratulations to Pete Warren who qualified to day (17/05/11) to become a fully qualified Driving Instructor. Pete has become the 15th Driving Instructor to qualify through our training program and will now join our highly successful driving school at the end of June. “We pride ourself on our local reputation for training and developing the highest standard of Driving Instructors anywhere in the area”. Pete has always had an ambition to become his own boss and work the hours he chooses, now this will become a reality and he will be rewarded for his efforts. Best of luck Pete in your new career and have a good evening with Mrs W. as you celebrate your new future. Kelvin.

Mike Jenks, Wellington.

I joined Kelvin White is September 2010 after passing my instructor training with him. I had initially failed my instructor training with a different trainer, but believed in myself somewhere that I could do the part 3 test I just didn’t understand completely what was expected of me. I tried some other local instructors who offered instructor training but didn’t feel I could learn from them. From the first time I met Kelvin, I knew I would be learning and moving forward under his instruction. He did not want me to have any unnecessary lessons and after the initial assessment drive, we moved forward at a good pace, resulting in me passing all parts on the first attempt, under Kelvin. We had already discussed becoming a franchisee and so with great pleasure I handed in my notice at my previous job as a caravan engineer and launched into becoming self employed! From my initial Meeting with Kelvin, I was struck by how genuine Kelvin was. I asked him some quite straight forward questions, such as, what happens if you don’t give us any pupils one month? I was struck by his honesty. I had always wanted to be a driving instructor, but becoming self employed had always been an obstacle, as my wife has always been self employed and we felt one of us needed to stay in a job with a fixed income! In reality, I have never had a lack of work since joining Kelvin White, and the income has been steady and not a problem in any way. It is a very different way of life, and if I am honest, I am still adjusting. Having spent 30 years working in workshop settings, leaving the house at 7.30am and coming home at 6pm with 20 days holiday a year, the freedom to chose the hours I work and be around for the family more, is something which I have not had in the past. Sometimes I find myself working when I don’t want to, but that is because I have too much work and am still learning to say NO! The freedom to plan holidays when I want them is also something I am making the most of! The best thing about the job is seeing the students improve week on week, and knowing that I am making a difference to them. Seeing them gain in confidence, and helping them to know they can do it. No one forgets a driving instructor, if they are good or bad! The worst thing about the job, apart from the cost of fuel, is when students are questioning my judgements about when they are ready to go to test, and want to go to test before they are ready. For me franchising, with Kelvin White is not all about how many pupils he feeds me each month (although this has never been a problem), it is knowing in my first year out there doing the job, that his support on any issues I am experiencing is only a phone call away. He will always support and advise and even deal with difficult situations if necessary. I think I would have struggled in a few situations if I hadn’t had had Kelvin`s back up and support.

Kevin Mitcham, Taunton.

Once the decision was made to become an ADI finding the right trainer was the first hurdle. The ADI forum was a great help as the advice the members gave saved me a fortune and a great deal of frustration as you only have to read the comments to see why". Part 1 of the training was the Theory Test and the structure of the training made this relevant and informative. Reading a number of reference books and sitting over 20 Pre Set Assessments ensures you have the knowledge to proceed. The Hazard Perception requirement was a continuation of daily driving awareness skills although I was driving a PC and not a vehicle. The pass mark is high but not unachievable with the correct preparation. Kelvin White was always available for information and advice on all stages of qualification so I thank him for that. Part 2 is the Practical Driving Assessment and assessed at a much higher standard than the learner test so demonstration of the correct procedures and awareness is essential to get through this element. The training provided was enjoyable and very informative and made this part fairly straight forward. Part 3 the final hurdle is the test of instructional ability and by far the toughest of the three parts. Being a qualified driver of a high standard is by no means enough to meet the criteria for the Part 3 test as many seem to underestimate, you only need to look at the current ADI pass rates to realise this. Kelvin provided over 40 hours training for me to qualify as an ADI and only now, looking back I can verify the training was exceptional in both quality and frequency. From the outset I felt completely valued as a potential ADI and would recommend a weekly session of at least two hours or twice weekly as I did. The learning curve is steep and the longer the period in between lessons the more time there is to forget the one piece of information you might need to sort out a problem with a driving error committed. I would thoroughly recommend to all those wanting to become an ADI to speak with Kelvin White prior to paying large sums of money to National Companies who I believe require payment upfront. The pay as you train was far more beneficial and assisted me to take one step at a time without the thought of facing the complete training course in one hit. Now qualified I am enjoying every minute and look forward to each and every lesson spent with a variety of drivers from learners to those who are fully qualified looking to improve on their skills. Also before you pay out any money I suggest you find out who is ORDIT registered as that includes stringent quality control audits by the regulatory body on the training provider ensuring the standard is maintained at the level required. If you need any advice on the process I will offer all the support I can. I would recommend this guy to anyone even if it meant travelling to Somerset for a whole day at a time. He runs 2 hour lessons, half day lessons or even full day lessons. Well worth the thought. Regards KM.

Frederick Hemmings, Bridgwater.

Frederick Hemmings. Frederick Hemmings has become the latest ADI to join us at the school after successfully qualifying in August. "When gathering information on a possible career change, I met with Kelvin and he gave sound advice telling me exactly what I would be taking on. The training was available on a pay as you go basis which appealed to me as I was not paying a large amount of money up front. The three part qualifying exam looked tough with only a 25% pass rate, but with Kelvin's support and instruction I knew it was more than possible". "I began by studying for between one and two hours a night with the DSA recommended manuals. The part one study guide gave the learning process structure and it was a big help in retaining the knowledge required. We also had 4 practical sessions of two hours to help bring the study material to life and to give me a taste of what the job would entail. The opportunity to practice a little of part three at this stage was a big help with the study, but also a good insight into what instructors do". "The next stage was the practical driving and similar to learning to drive 8 years ago, but to a much higher standard. Any weaknesses that I had were soon ironed out and with good feedback on my progress and practice I was delighted to pass at the first attempt". "The final stage was part three, your practical teaching skills. This is where you recall the knowledge that was learnt during part one study. I can see now , why the bulk of the training is on part three preperation.Trying to instruct is mind boggling at first, but as the training sinks in you start to believe in your ability and the fog begins to clear. I felt as though I was ready for the test, but fell slightly short on the first attempt with a 4/3.Feedback from the examiner was very encouraging and with a few hours of tweaking with Kelvin I was more determined than ever to finish what I had started 8 months ago". "Since that August day when I became a fully qualified ADI it’s been nonstop preparation for life as a self employed instructor working with Kelvin White Driving School. Looking back I am grateful of all the support, encouragement and expert tuition I received from Kelvin to fulfil my career ambitions and now only looking forward". We are delighted to have Fred on board. Most of his new pupils were beginners, but many are now reaching test standard and at the time of writing Fred has a 100% pass rate.

Lee White, Bridgwater.

Lee White. Lees previous employment was a store supervisor for Iceland foods.He worked his way through the ranks over a ten year period but realised that no matter what level he reached it was not something he enjoyed and was looking for a job that would be more satisfying and rewarding. " After considering many avenues for a career.I got to thinking about my learner test over ten years ago and what a big day it was.After giving this some more thought I came to the conclusion that teaching people to drive would be a very rewarding and satisfying job". "The training took me around seven months,starting with the theory preperation.Reading the recommended DSA manuals was a little mind numbing but with the help of the part 1 study guide it gave the whole process a structure that made sense of what I was trying to learn". "The second phase was the practical driving, similar to what I had learnt ten years previous , but to a much higher standard.I have always enjoyed driving and found this very enjoyable and the lessons seemed to go by very quickly.It was very strange going back to the test centre to take a driving test and I ended up with the same examiner I had ten years previously". "The final phase , the test of instructor ability was by far the most demanding.I found it very strange and awkward pretending that the instructor was a begginer.At first I found it difficult to give out praise , but the more of his driving I corrected the more I started to get confortable with it.It was amazing how difficult and complicated it was just to get someone moving off and stopping and wondered how the hell I was going to get through it". "I did have two friends who acted as guinea pigs,that had never driven cars before,so I began to teach them as if they were taking normal driving lessons.I found this a huge advantage and I think this made my instructor lessons easier as I had managed to settle in to the role more realistically.I had some great fun doing this but also some scary moments when you realise you cant stop them because you haven't got dual controls". "When test day came around I was a bit nervous but felt I was ready and focussed on what I needed to do.Doing well in the mock tests gave me the belief that I could deal with whatever the examiner was to throw at me.I have to say that it was the fastest hour of my life". "I am very proud to be a qualified driving instructor and delighted to have passed all three exams at the first attempt.At the time of writing I have been qualified now for about six months and settled in to the role and I am very pleased with the decision to persue this career.It is great to meet so many different people of all ages and teach them how to drive.I can happily say that it has great reward when your pupils come back of test and have passed, it gives you enormous satisfaction knowing that you have helped them get through one of the biggest days in their life". We are pleased to have been Lee's training provider and that his new career is going so well.At the time of writing Lee is working on a franchise basis with Kelvin White driving school where he regulary works between 30 -40 hours per week.He has made an important contribution to the school and gains frequent referrals from his clients.To date Lee has taken eleven pupils to test with ten passing at the first attempt.

Dave Miles, Dulverton.

Having thought about changing career and becoming a driving instructor for some time, I felt it wise to do my homework before embarking on a training programme. Like many people I had seen the adverts on the television claiming that all you need is a clean licence and before you know it you'll be earning £30k a year. However when you look in to the details of the offers of any of the national training companies you realise that they are primarily a money making machine rather than someone who truly cares whether you qualify as an instructor or not. With Kelvin White I found a genuinely committed local business. The training offered is comprehensive and unlike many companies is done on a one to one in car basis. I only paid for the training as I received it. There are no binding contracts and a guaranteed refund was on offer if at any time I decided to withdraw from the training. However once I started I was sure that this was the career for me, down to in no small part how important my progress seemed to be to Kelvin himself. His knowledge is second to none and his ability to communicate is fantastic. The customer service the company provide is something that many companies locally and nationally could learn from. Kelvin promised on day one that he would be with me every step of the way including sitting in on my practical driving tests (parts 2 & 3). This meant that he was able to give me a real insight in to everything that went right and to enable him to correct those things that went wrong. I would recommend anyone considering driving tuition as a career to pick up the phone and speak with Kelvin before committing to a contract with any other company. He will give you an honest appraisal of your own driving and let you make the decision of whether to proceed or not. Becoming an ADI has been far from a formality, however training with Kelvin was always a pleasure and I owe a great deal to him and his persistence, patience and encouragement. Thanks to Kelvin I have been able to realise my dream of changing my career and my life." Dave Miles, Dulverton

Adrian Gill, Weston - Super - Mare.

"After qualifying as an A.D.I I started to look at the options available to me. I wanted to become a Franchisee as I felt I needed the support of experienced people behind me who would encourage my development and supply me with pupils, with this in mind I spent a few weeks looking at various franchises both big and small, many offered pupil supply and money off deals but didn't seem to have instructor development high on their agenda. I then found Kelvin White Driving School on the Internet. The Franchise offer looked very appealing with no binding contract, low fee, and supply of work and what I'd most been looking for an active C.P.D. programme. I gave Kelvin a ring and instantly felt at home on the phone. The next evening I went for an informal interview and came away feeling exited and impressed with how professional everything was. I joined two weeks later and have found working under the Kelvin White banner very enjoyable. My first two months have been a challenge as I have had to get used to organising my diary and sticking to a rigid time scale, but I have really enjoyed it and have had full support from Kelvin and Sandra who have been excellent in their approach towards me, always there to give me help, guidance and encouragement”. “Where do I go from here? I would like to keep striving to improve as an A.D.I and I know Kelvin will help mentor me in this respect can only improve with the support I am getting and would strongly recommend anybody looking to join a top notch Driving School and give Kelvin a call”. Adrian Gill , Weston Super Mare.

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"Thanks to Kelvin I have been able to realise my dream of changing my career and my life.".

Dave Miles, Dulverton.

Pete Warren

Kevin Mitcham, Taunton.

Frederick Hemmings, Bridgwater.

Lee White, Bridgwater.

Dave Miles, Dulverton.

Adrian Gill, Weston - Super - Mare.

Thanks to Kelvin...

Life as an ADI